First defeat for the surprise team

1. FC Nürnberg lose 34:36 in Sävehof after missing too many 100% chances. The German side also miss a chance to make a step towards the second group phase.

It was the second German champion team playing a CL match in Sweden within three days: unlike THW Kiel that won 40:36 in Hammarby on Thursday, 1. FC Nürnberg returned home without a point.

Another coincidence: the topscorer’s name was Ahlm again. While Kiel’s Marcus Ahlm hit the net 13 times, Sävehof’s Johanna Ahlm scored ten goals.

With this defeat Nürnberg missed a great chance to have equal points with the top ranked Zvezda and now they have 3 points after playing two sensational matches against the Russian champion and Krim.

“We made too many mistakes in attack and my players did not have the mentality they showed in the last matches,” said FCN coach, Herbert Müller.

Nürnberg were in lead only once – at 1:0 – after that Sävehof had a good period until 14:7. At halftime it looked somewhat better for the German champions and the score was 17:13.

“We had to be very loud in the cabin and I think we woke our players up,” said Müller after the match:

“I told them that everybody has to show 120 percent, otherwise we are just a normal team, not real champions.”

The number of mistakes decreased, but Sävehof still kept the lead until the end.

“We played with heart, but we shot too badly,” said Müller, whose team had the chance for even one point in the last minute as Teresa Utkovic had the ball at 35:34. Nürnberg allowed her to go on goal freely in case she would make a mistake, but she hit the net and the match was over. Despite six matches in three weeks, Nürnberg had more power in the decisive phase, but Sävehof’s easy goals at the start of the match explain the defeat of FCN.

Nürnberg’s topscorers were Ania Rösler and Miriam Simakova with seven goals each.

“We have to hold our heads up,” said Müller, “as we reached more than expected. Next Sunday we have another chance to gain two points against Ljubljana.”